Rome's first civil war began as the result of conflict between Choose
two powerful individuals: Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
Gaius Marius was a popular general and consul who introduced significant military reforms that allowed non-landowning citizens to serve in the Roman army. This gained him wide support among the lower classes, but it also polarized the Roman Senate.
Lucius Cornelius Sulla, on the other hand, was a conservative senator and general. He feared the increasing power of Marius and opposed his reforms, particularly regarding the recruitment of non-landowning citizens into the military.
The conflict between Marius and Sulla escalated when they both competed for the command of the Roman army in a war against King Mithridates VI of Pontus. The Senate initially appointed Sulla, but Marius, using his popular support, managed to have the decision reversed.
Sulla, feeling betrayed, responded by leading his troops against Rome in 88 BCE, marking the beginning of the first civil war. He marched his army to Rome and defeated Marius, forcing him to flee the city. Sulla then declared himself dictator and began a purge of his political opponents, taking revenge on those who had crossed him.
The first civil war continued even after Sulla's victory, as other generals and politicians opposed his dictatorial rule. It was a time of chaos and violence, with various factions vying for power within Rome.
Eventually, after Sulla's resignation and death, Julius Caesar emerged as a prominent figure and played a significant role in the subsequent conflicts that led to the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.